A few days ago, I wrote about the Rose Lady. Admittedly, I have no idea who she is (or if the Rose Lady is a lady at all!); nonetheless, her beautiful garden is a great source of joy for me each and every morning. At the urging of some blog buddies, I wrote a note to the Rose Lady and left it on her garden gate this morning. The note said, “Everyday, your garden brings a smile to my face. Thank You.”
I wanted to keep the note simple, short, sweet and from the heart. Check out the note below:
And in other news, Colin left yesterday afternoon, bringing his week-long stay in Toronto to an end. I think he’s going to move here, so I’m sure he’ll be back.
I have a busy, extra-long weekend ahead of me. With only a few hours of work today and nothing else until Monday, I’m going to create a wonderful experience for myself.
Have you ever heard the quote, “Life doesn’t happen to you… instead, you happen to life”? Today, that quote resonates with me in a special way. I will pro-actively happen to life today, bringing awareness to the ways in which I shape my existence with each and every breath I take, and each and every thought that I create.
You know how you and I met - but I don’t. How did you discover my blog and for how long have we been sharing in this journey together? Leave your story in the comments.
The Gay Pride Parade always makes me cry. And this year was no exception.
In a world where we are inundated with messages of hate and violence, the Pride Parade is a celebration of the human spirit - and above all, a celebration of love. The message of Pride, when you look past the glitz, commercialization and go-go boys in underwear, is one that transcends the queer community and resonates with all people: accept, embrace, celebrate and love who you are.
The universe expresses itself in many ways: through the stars in the sky, the trees in the forest, the people around you and the love in your heart. So many unique expressions of the same pervasive spirit. You are one such expression, not matter how you identify, who you love, how you express yourself and what form you’ve taken. And because of that, you are perfect. Indeed, parades should be held in your honor every day of the week, every month of the year.
As Pride Month comes to an end, I celebrate and love the ways in which all of us are different. And, more importantly, I honor the one spirit that permeates all expressions of this amazing universe.
Today I am thankful for my many quirks, the many times I’ve been called different, the lilies on my counter, Canada Day and Nick.
I went to the Toronto Pride Parade with Colin, Nick and the flip cam. In honor of Pride, and especially in honor of those people who cannot publicly celebrate their identity, we bring you this video:
Each morning, on my way to the gym, I pass the Rose Lady.
Actually, I don’t know that she’s a lady at all; I’ve never seen her.
But in my mind’s eye, she’s an 87 year-old Greek grandmother of 15. Her long, thinning hair is so white that it looks pale next to snow, and each morning she twists it into a hasty, ever-shrinking bun at the top of her head. Her once glowing cheeks now sag in generous clumps from her zygomatic bone and are artificially hued with a pinkish-burgundy thanks to an over-application of blush. When she talks, you can’t help but be distracted by her missing front tooth. Though her age has finally caught up with her, the Rose Lady’s eyes are still penetrating.
And each day at 6:00AM, those penetrating eyes gaze upon her small but beautiful rose garden. With long days and few responsibilities, this garden has become the Rose Lady’s labor of love.
If you’re ever in Toronto, and if you ever journey down a small, unsuspecting side street, you may discover the Rose Lady’s garden.
A small, handful of people must pass this house each day. And in the upstairs window, the Rose Lady watches from behind a tattered, faded lace curtain. And as she watches, she correctly suspects that her garden is a great source of joy for those that pass.
It’s bringing smiles to the faces of strangers that motivates the Rose Lady to share her gift with the world.
My friend Nick and I decided it was time for a talky blog. If you want to listen to Nick’s music or visit his MySpace page, go to my myspace page and click on “Scotty Dynamo.” Enjoy!
This is the story of heartache, back-stabbing and betrayal.
As if to warn me, mother nature cast foreboding skies and early morning haze over Western Toronto as I jogged back from the gym. The suns rays dared not penetrate the gloom for fear of what they might uncover. In the dark stillness, I approached my building; the silhouette of the mammoth brick structure was like that of a castle against a surreal backdrop of fog, shadows and gray.
Entering the building, I wound my way down the lanky corridors and approached my room. As my hand fell upon the door handle, I paused. I hesitated. Slowly turning the handle, I opened the door.
And then I saw it.
On my bed.
Colin and Chipotle. Together. On my bed!
The nerve. The betrayal. The heartache!
My camera was close by, so I snapped a picture. Caught in the act. How dare they.
What if we reminded ourselves of three things today?
People are doing the best they know how to do, given the circumstances in their life. The choices or actions of other people are the only choices or actions they could have made given where they are in life - whether or not you agree with those choices. If their choices invite turmoil into their life, remember that difficult situations allow people to develop and grow. All paths lead to truth, but alas, some are much longer than others.
It takes two to tango. Conflict can’t be brought into your life without your participation; if you respond with love, peace, compassion and understanding, your life will be free from conflict. Conflict grows when you nurture it with the fertilizers of violence, energy or hate, and withers when you respond with your heart.
It’s all small stuff. Remind yourself of the wisdom contained within my favorite quote ever… it’s from the Ojibway people: “Now and then I go about pitying myself and all the while my soul is being blown by great winds across the sky.” The so called problems, issues and difficult situations in our lives pale in comparison to the love and beauty of this tremendous universe. On which will you focus your energy today?
